How To Find Shorts You’ll Want To Wear All Spring (And Beyond.)

The Summary

Strike the perfect balance between style and comfort with shorts you'll want to wear all season long. We’re drawn to timeless and interchangeable pieces that will rise to any occasion. Whether you're a linen or denim lover, like casual or tailored, our edit has something for everyone.

The Styling

Option 1. The Denim Short

Some may say the denim short works the hardest out of any piece in your spring/summer wardrobe - and we tend to agree. Not a weekend goes by in the warmer months where the denim short isn’t featuring in at least one of our outfits. As a timeless staple, it’s worth taking the time to find the right cut. There are plenty of options, from the high-rise cut off, relaxed boyfriend style, our favourite RE/DONE vintage Levis, or Outland Denim Annie Shorts, and a paper-bag short that ties at the waist. Or even one of the most recent reemerging shorts trends: the Bermuda knee-length style. Whatever the style, the denim short goes with everything and can create almost an endless amount of looks.

Emma’s go-to casual look always includes a white tee and denim, like here in the Bassike White Tee and Outland Denim Annie shorts, styled with the Mineraleir twist gold cuff.

A great way to elevate your denim shorts is with a blazer. Fleur wears the Bassike Wool Man Style jacket and the Bassike Fitted Scoop rib tank, styled with the Gucci Princetown leather slipper and a vintage gold chain necklace.

Emma dresses up her denim shorts with the Bondi Born Everywhere linen shirt and The Row Sandals.

Previous Next When and what to wear with them:

• Weekend or school pick up: White t- shirt, tan belt and a slide - think Gucci or Christian Dior. Have a blazer on hand for an elevated look.

• To the beach: Bathers, linen shirt and beach sandals.
• Birthday party or girls’ lunch: Feminine blouse and tan sandal (we love these ones from sustainable label, Essen.)

• Afternoon soiree, gallery opening, or drinks with friends: Summer knit (think the Paris Georgia Linen Shoulder Knit) and Dad sandal (we love the Bassike Dad Sandals), as pictured on Emma.

Our conscious picks: The RE/DONE | Levi's High Rise Short features a classic high-rise and a slim fit throughout with a slightly wider opening at the leg. Meet the perfect white denim short. The RE/DONE 50s Cut offs are quintessential warm-weather cut offs fitted with a high-rise waist and a little extra room at the leg. The Bermuda short is having a moment too, and these J-Brand Denim Relaxed Bermuda’s will be on high rotation this Spring/Summer.

Option 2: The Linen Shorts.

Classics are back more than ever and a linen short is a wardrobe essential. Consider it the summer version of your sweats/loungewear. Traditionally, linen shorts steer towards white, beige and black but other colours such as rust, reds, soft pinks or mustard, as seen below on Fleur, are also great options to consider. They’re best worn with simple block coloured separates (also wardrobe necessities) to create that classic and relaxed look. Whether it’s a white tee, black ribbed tank or a linen shirt you will always feel both comfortable and put together in your linen shorts. Tip: You can go a pattern with your linen short, but always keep your top plain. When and what to wear with them:

• Weekend, school pick up, or girls’ lunch: Black rib tank, barely-there sandal, and throw over an oversized denim jacket. Switch to sneakers depending on how many errands you have to run.
• Dinner: Matching shirt and wedge heel.
• Family lunch: White muscle tee and dad sandal (again, our go to is the Bassike).

Fleur’s go-to weekend look is shorts and a singlet. Here she is in the Bassike Belted Linen short, Viktoria & Woods Clarke Tank.

Our conscious picks: Australian made, Bondi Born’s Fancy Short in Terracotta is our pick for this season’s linen short. Made from lightweight Italian linen, they’re high-waisted and fall to mid-thigh with deep pockets and a wide leg line. If a masculine style is more your thing, try Bondi Born’s Utility Short. As the name suggests, these are a utility style with a removable belt. They sit slightly higher on the thigh with a flared leg. Tinted in beige and pale pink, these Anaak Annex shorts aren’t strictly linen but we think they sit perfectly in this category. They're 100% cotton with an elasticated high-rise waist and loose-fitting legs.

Option 3: The Summer Suit. We’re no longer just buying the structured short solo. Enter the summer suit. In these pairings, the blazers tend to be either a relaxed cut or oversized, while the shorts are tailored in either a cropped or Bermuda-style length. You can create so many different outfits using one or both pieces, plus it also makes shorts suitable for work as well as dressier occasions. Tip: don’t be afraid to look past colour.

Why it’s worth investing in:

• Uniform dressing. As separates, you can create so many looks that take you from day to night. You’ll wear the blazer and shorts separately just as much as you will together, if not more.
• Aside from bike shorts, this is the chicest look of the season.
• Planning and creating the outfits (see our article on uniform dressing) will be easy as you will likely have the key building blocks at home already… a white tee, simple tank, jeans, etc.
• The blazer is one of our suggested wardrobe essentials. Tick!

When and what to wear with them: THE SUIT

• Lunch: White tank and your favourite sandal or heel.
• Weekend or school pick up: Ribbed tank (either black, tan or white) and sneakers.
• Work: White or striped shirt with a Gucci loafer or heel.

THE SHORT

• Lunch: Cami and simple sandal
• Weekend or school pick up: Tank, shirt and dad sandal
• Work: White or striped shirt, knit over the top or around your shoulders and a kitten heel. We love the Row Bare Sandal

Practical for the warmer months and ticks all the style boxes. Emma wears Anna Quan’s take on the short-suit - Sienna Blazer and Patsy short in Black.

Our conscious picks: We will be wearing the Patsy Shorts , as pictured above, by Anna Quan this season. A mid-rise Bermuda style with side pockets, we adore the black and tan (and the matching blazer for the ultimate twin set look). New Zealand is producing some of the finest sustainable designers and Georgia Alice is at the top of our list. Their Boy Short in black ticks all the boxes for this tailored look.

Option 4: The Bike Shorts. Surprisingly versatile, bike shorts aren’t just for the yoga studio. In fact, why did they even leave the building? Throw on a sweat or a blazer for those ‘cooler coffee dates’ and you’re instantly presentable. Bike shorts look great with everything from oversized shirts, blazers, denim jackets and cropped tops. Far from just a trend, we’d argue they’re another essential building block in your wardrobe. Length is important. There’s the short shorts you’d wear to yoga or a walk with your girlfriends. Then there’s the longer length - think Bermuda style again. They should fit at the slimmest part of your thigh really giving you that tapered look. This style can be worn a bit more dressed up.

When and what to wear with them:

• Post yoga brunch: Oversized white tee, or sweater and your favourite sneaker. Oh, and green juice (naturally.)
• Weekend or school pick up: Ribbed tank, denim Jacket and sneaker or dad sandal. Wear the Bermuda style for this look.
• Girls’ lunch: Oversized white shirt, black blazer and kitten heel or sneaker. Elevate this look with layered gold chains. We also suggest the Bermuda style here.

Our conscious picks: The Triad Biker Short from Nagnata is our absolute favourite longer bike short style. They’ll effortlessly work in with your everyday fashion wardrobe (as well as take you to your yoga class!) Nagnata also does the perfect short shorts. Here’s Emma wearing the Bodhi Biker Shorts which has an elongating high rise and flattering wide waistband to balance the cheeky leg length.

Emma loves her Bodhi Shorts which she's paired here with Veja Sneakers and a white singlet. Perfect for weekend walks or running errands (and school pick up - although another mum asked her which sport she'd just come from!)

The Girlfriend Collective Black High-Rise Pocket Bike Short are everything you need in a bike short. Squat-proof, compressive, sweat-wicking, and chic for that post-class brunch date.

Got questions?

We’re always here to help. Just send us an email hello@itsaftereight.com. We also offer virtual styling service: perfect when you need a little help with your wardrobe or online purchases. Your own personal coach for online shopping from the comfort of your own home.